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Final countdown

With one week until show time, nerves are starting to catch up with 33rd & State. Rehearsals for the debut show of the new sketch comedy troupe are in full swing, and the group will be practicing at least two hours every night this upcoming week at Marquette University’s Straz Theater, which is the location of their free show at 8 p.m., Friday, April 26.

“Oh, oh, never mind,” Bill said. “That’s number one – that nobody will laugh. Number two is memorizing lines.”

“No, number two is nobody will laugh,” Charlie decided. “Number one is that people will go out of their way to boo us and not laugh, and then number three is that we don’t know our lines.”

This past week was the group’s final rehearsal at Humphrey Hall. Next week’s rehearsals take place at Straz Theater, the location of their show. So, Bill says one of the biggest hurtles will be that transition. Charlie says that he is confident in the progression of the group, but wonders if they are progressing fast enough. Despite those concerns, both Bill and Charlie have been excited to see the sketches come to life.

With sketches being strengthened during each rehearsal, the performers will work on having all lines memorized this week. Bill says that’s the big thing this week – just trying to get everything perfect. Lines, and position will also be a big thing for the group to nail down. In video sketches, positioning can be fixed on the spot or in post-production.

Despite their concerns, Bill and Charlie are still excited for the show. Oddly enough, their concerns are very similar to what they are most excited for. The guys agree that they are most excited to hear reactions from the audience…as long as it is laughter, not boos. The first 33rd & State show may be coming up quickly, but it is also the last show for Bill and Charlie, who graduate soon. However, the guys are confident in the group’s future after they are gone.

“Nope, we’re shutting it down,” Connor Welch interjected as he sat down in the Humphrey Hall auditorium.

“You know what, we’re shutting down comedy when we leave,” Charlie retaliated. “It’s going to be like the town in ‘Footloose,’ but with comedy.”

So, come see the show next week and make sure to laugh….or it looks like comedy will be forever shut down at Marquette.

Just kidding about that last part.

Brynne Ramella, a journalism student at Marquette University, is a guest blogger for MilwaukeeComedy, documenting the start-up of Marquette’s sketch comedy troupe, 33rd & State. This isthe 10th in her seriesof reports.